Nike may have enough stamina to release another smartwatch next year

Sportwatch follow-up may come in first half of 2014

Even though Nike just released its FuelBand SE last month, the company may already be in training mode for its next smartwatch.

The footwear company's next wearable gadget is expected to launch in the first half of 2014, reported DigiTimes citing unnamed sources in Taiwan's supply chain.

To that end, Nike's new, unconfirmed smartwatch is said to be "under trial production" at EMS firm Flextronics International right now.

That's not something Nike is confirming or denying to us. A company spokesperson told TechRadar: "We do not comment on rumors and speculation."

Trying to keep Adidas out

Nike may not necessarily be following up its FuelBand line already, as it also has a more sophisticated Nike+ SportWatch meant for runners instead of everyday tracking.

If the company were to release such a device, it would be its first since the Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom, which came out in June 2012. It's due for a refresh.

It would also mean that Nike is trying to prevent Adidas from getting a foot in the market, as the rival athletic company recently launched the full-featured Adidas miCoach Smart Run last month.

Adidas miCoach Smart Run vs Nike+ Sportwatch

The Adidas smartwatch is an interesting all-in-one device. In addition to the normal tracking features, it does everything from storing and playing music to easily displaying users heart rates.

But Nike's existing SportWatches have been less expensive and, as DigiTimes calculated, the company accounts for 30% of the global sports gear market. This is despite the fact that others like Samsung want in with its "unripe" smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear.